Sill head and coupler for articulated cars



Jan. 21, 1941. RQNK 2,229,258

I SILL HEAD AND COUPLER FOR ARTICULATED CARS Original Filed Jan. 23, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet l Ira/214,160)

Patented Jan. 21, 1941 UNITED STATES SILL HEAD AND COUPLER FOR ABTICULATED CABS George T. Bonk, Lanark, 111.

Original application January 23, 1935, Serial No. 3,163. Dividedand this application August 31,

1938, Serial No. 227,698

15 Claims.

This invention pertains to improvements in train equipment and more particularly to that type of equipment employing cars adapted to be easily converted to either road or railway use, wherein a loaded car may be drawn over a road or highway by means of an ordinary auto truck to a convenient railway station or switch, and thentransferred to a railway track and operatively connected in an ordinary railway train and transported to the nearest railway station or switch to the desired point of delivery for loading, after which the loaded car may then again be transferred to the highway and moved to the desired point of delivery, after which the car may be unloaded, as illustrated and described in my co-pending application Serial No. 3,163, filed January 23, 1935, from which this application has been divided. This invention pertains more particularly to means for coupling adjacent cars together in articulation wherein the cars may be operated either in a standard railway train, an articulated train or as a semi-trailer for highways.

In coupling the articulated cars into a train it is necessary to elevate the front end of the car and to support or carry said front end with the front wheels above the traction surface. It is also essential to provide coupling means wherein the articulated car may be either coupled to a standard railway car equipment or to a preceding articulated car. When the coupled car is being carried as asemi-trailer or articulated car, the coupling element of said articulated car will be elevated higher than is necessary in the standard coupling equipment.

It is, therefore, one of the objects of my invention to provide in train equipment a carrier element which may be supported by the rear end of a car and moved from an inoperative position to an operative position for carrying the weight of the front end of the following car, and to provide the forward end of the following car with a rider element which may be moved from an inwherein the forward end of the semi-trailer may be lifted to position where it will be supported above the carrier end of the preceding car in such a manner that two cars may be coupled in the same manner as utilized in coupling the ordinary trains, simply by backing the preceding car towards the car to be coupled, in which case the standard automatic coupler may be utilized. The elements or members for carrying the weight of the forward end of the succeeding car will be referred to as sill heads.

In order that a certain amount of lateral movement of the rider sill head relative to the supporting sill head may be permitted when the standard coupler is utilized, it is another object 1 of my invention to provide improved anti-friction means for permitting comparatively free pivotal movement of one sill head relative to the other, and at the same time provide means for retarding free lateral movement of one sill head relative to the other, as would be permitted in the ordinary coupling device, to stabilize the laterally swinging movement of the forward end of the car when used in articulation or as a semitrailer.

A further object of my invention is to provide in a sill head construction adapted to be used in connection with articulated trains, means for locking the sill head either in its inoperative or in its operative position.

A further object of my inventionis to provide in railway equipmentan improved coupler which may be mounted in the car frame, having coupling elements of the type such as ordinarily now in common use, wherein the said coupling ele- 35 ments may be moved to a number of elevated positions, and in connection therewith, improved means for elevating and lowering the said coupling elements and for locking them in the various operative elevated positions.

My invention consists in the construction, arrangement and combination of thevarious parts of the device, whereby the objects contemplated are attained, as hereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in my claims, and illustrated in the accompanying 'drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a diagrammatical view showing the side elevation of a tractor truck and the manner in which an articulated car is connected therewith.

Figure 2 is a diagrammatical view illustrating the manner in which the adjustable car coupler of the forward car is moved to an elevated position in alinement with a car coupler carried by the rear .car and supported in a'normal position 5 wherein both coupler elements are in horizontal alinement when the cars are coupled in articulation.

Figure 3 is a plan view of one end of the center sills of a car frame showing the manner in whichmy improved sill head construction and coupler device are applied thereto.

Figure 4 is a detail sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 shows a. side elevation of one end of a car frame and the manner in which my improved sill head is mounted thereon, and also the manner in which the rider head is carried by the sill head.

Figure '6 is a detail sectional view taken on the line 6-6 of Figure 5.

Figure '7 is a detail sectional view taken on the line 1-1 of Figure 3.

Figure 8 is a plan view of my improved adjustable sill head as removed from its supporting frame, together with adjustable sill head spider, a portion of the frame being shown in section.

Figure 9 is a detail sectional view taken on the line I9 of Figure 3.

Figure 10 is a side elevation of the sill head spider.

Referring to Figures 3, 4 and 5 of the drawings I have used the reference numeral ill to indicate a pair of centrally arranged, spaced, and parallel sill members, these sill members being supported longitudinally and centrally of the car frame I is carried thereby. The details of this car frame are not illustrated inasmuch as they form no part of my present invention, the car body being carried by the said frame I I a.

The said sill members "I substantially form a draw bar extending longitudinally beneath the car body, wherein the strains imparted to the car body to advance the car and the series of cars connected thereto, are carried by said sill members. The sill members are also formed of such size as to have sufficient strength to overcome any bending strain that might be imparted thereto by elevating one end of the car by applying power to the under surface of one end of said sill members. Thus, it will be seen that the sill members not only are capable of transmitting the entire amount of power transmitted between the engine and the rear end of a train, but are also capable of supporting the weight of one end of a car body for the purpose of placing the car in articulation, as hereinafter more fully set forth.

Referring to Figures '3, 4 and 9, supported between the free ends of the beams II, I have provide a cast frame I comprising'plates 4 fixed to the inner faces of the members 10, said plates having downwardly and forwardly extending lugs 5 and connected by a cross member I. This frame provides means for rigidly supporting the free ends of the members It against lateralmove-' ment toward and from each other and stiffening the frame member in general. It also provides means for supporting the movable sill head hereinafter to be described.

Supported inside of the plates 4 and adjacent to the inner faces of the members II! are plates I, having vertically arranged flanges I, said flanges being spaced apart a slight distance to form guides. Supported between the guides 'I is a coupler frame 9, said frame having lugs Ila on its outer surface to travel between the guides 8 and to prevent longitudinal movement of the frame 9 and at the same time permit the frame I to be elevated and lowered. The outer faces of the side members of the frame I are each provided with a longitudinal groove II in which is slidably mounted a slide link l2. Pivotally connected to the inner end of each of the slide links I! is a rock arm II, said rock arms beingfixed to a rock shaft l4, while the outer ends of the links I! are plvotally connected to the rock arms I! pivotally connected to the inner faces of the beams II. The arms II and II are of the same length so that if the shaft I4 is rocked in a counter-clockwise direction, as illustrated in Figure 4, then the free ends of the arms II will be moved upwardly in a counter-clockwise direction, causing the free ends of the arms I! to also be swung upwardly and inwardly by means of the links II. This will cause the frame member I to be elevated to its dotted line position, as shown in Figure 4.

The inner faces of the side members of the frame I are provided with lugs it, against which a plate I1 is supported, designed to engage one end of the compression spring II, the other end of said spring being supported against a plate II carried by the inner end of the frame I. Slidably mounted through the plates i1 and II is a coupler rod 20 having its outer end plvotally connected to the coupler bar 2 I, said coupler bar extending through the forward end of the frame I and to a position outwardly beyond the frame member 3, to which the train coupler 22 is connected, said coupler being of that type ordinarily used in coupling trains at the present time. The outer end of the rod 20 is larger than its central portion, so that a shoulder 23 is provided for engaging the outer surface of the plate I! when the bar 2| is moved inwardly. The rod 24 has a washer 24 designed to engage the inner surface of the plate I! as the coupler bar 2i is moved outwardly.

By this arrangement it will be seen that the spring II serves as a cushion for cushioning shocks imparted to the bar 22 longitudinally thereof, either caused by coupling action of the train or at the time the train is under movement on the road, due to either jerking or breaking effect.

By this arrangement it will be seen that the coupler 22 may be operated in two elevated pomtions, the coupler being in its normal position to couple with the standard train equipment when in its lowered position of movement and adapted to make coupling with\the coupler element at the forward end of an articulated car connection, when in an elevated position, or, in other words, when the forward end of\the following car is elevated, in a manner hereinafter more fully set forth.

A pin 25 is provided for locking the coupler frame I in its elevated or lowered positions of movement, simply by inserting the pin through suitable openings provided in the coupler frame, and through openings 24 provided in the frame member 4.

On account of the pivotal connection between member 2| and the member II it will be seen that the outer end of the bar II and the coupling element 22 are permitted to swing laterally some what in order to permit a certain amount of lateral movement of the coupled end of the car, in a manner as permitted in ordinary coupling practice.

I will now describe the adjustable sill head which permits the car to be coupled in the usual manner or in an articulated train or as a semitrailer.

Supported beneath the free ends of the members l and beneath the coupler device 9, I have provided what I have termed a sill head spider 21, comprisingframe members 28 having at their forward ends lugs 29 (see Figure 8) designed to support pivot pins 30, said pivot pins being designed tobe mounted in the lugs of the frame member 3 so that the inner end of the frame 21 is adapted to be elevated and lowered, the side members 28 being designed to rest adjacent to the outer edges of the lower flanges of themembers ID, as illustrated in Figure 7. The inner end of the sill head frame 21 is provided with an inwardly extending arm 3|, having an opening 32 (see Figures 4 and 8). The inner end of the member 3| is provided with an upwardly extending portion 33, having an opening 34, by means of which said extending portion 33 may be pivotally connected to the link 35 carried by one end of a bell crank lever 36, said lever being pivotally connected to a suitable bracket 31 carried by the beams l2. The other arm of the bell crank 36 is pivotally connected to the link 38, which in turn is pivotally connected to one end of alever 39, the other end of which is operatively connected with a piston rod 40 operated by an air. cylinder 4|. Thus, means is provided whereby the inner end of the frame 21 may be elevated by power, said frame being locked in its elevated position by inserting a pin 42 extending through suitable openings in a bracket 43 carried by one of the frame members l2a.

The sill head comprises a horizontal plate 44 adapted to be supported horizontally beneath the frame 21, having at each side edge an upwardly extending flange 45, the upper edge of each of the flanges 45 terminating in an inwardly extending flange portion 46 designed to rest above the upper edges of the side members 28, thus providing means whereby the sill head is slidably mounted longitudinally of the sill head spider, the sill head being locked at either its inner limit of movement or its outer limit of movement by means of a pin 41 adapted to pass through slots 48a carried between the side members 28 and suitable holes 49 in the side members 45, the pin 41 being locked in position by means of a spring 50, which is pivotally mounted at 5| so as to swing out of the path of the head of the pin 41. The sill head plate 44 is limited against outward movement or movement towards the right, as illustrated in Figures 4 and 8, by means of a stop pin 52 carried by the inner end of the plate 44 engaging the inner edge of the cross bar 53 carried by the lower end of the frame member 21. The plate 44 is limited against inward movement by the outer edge of the bar 53 engaging lugs '54 carried by said plate 44. The outer end of plate 44 has laterally projecting plates 55 supporting upright posts 56 designed to carry pivot members 51 for supporting the conical rollers 58. The forward ends of the plates 55 terminate in upwardly extending portions 59, which in turnterminate in inwardly and upwardly extending portions 60. The members 60 form inclined planes to assist in elevating the rider sill head 6| as the coupling action takes place.

The under surface of the plate 44 is beveled at 62, as illustrated in Figure 6, said beveled portion being designed to rest on the rollers 58 of the carrier sill head 63 when the rider sill head is in operative position, as illustrated in Figure 5, with the coupling elements 22 of the adjoining cars coupled.

It will be seen by referring to Figures 3 and 4 that the coupler elements 22 are designed to rest immediately above the central portion of the outwardly extending portion of the plate 44 and between the outer ends of the flanges 45. When it is desired to couple two cars in articulation, as illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, the coupler element 22 of the front car is first elevatedto its upper position of movement, the inner end of the sill head spider of the back car or rider sill head being first lowered to the dotted line position shown-in Figure 5. The coupling element 22 of the back car is left in its normal lowered position of movement. The cars are then moved together with the outer end of the rider sill head resting above the outer end of the carrier sill head;

Power is then applied to the cylinder 4| causing the inner end of the rider sill head to be elevated from an inclined position to a horizontal position. This will cause the forward end of the sill head to be lowered about-the pivot pins 30 as fulcrums, and the front end of the rider car to be elevated to the position illustrated in Figure 1. The pin 42 may then be inserted in the openings 32 and through the openings of the member 43 locking the rider sill head in its normal position. This provides means whereby the coupled end of the semi-trailer or articulated car may be easily and quickly elevated to lift the front wheels of said car from the traction surface.

Inasmuch, however, as the coupler elements are permitted to have lateral movement, it will readily be seen that considerable tendency would exist for the carrier and rider sill heads to move laterally, one relative to the other. By providing the inclined portions 62 and the conical rollers 58 I have provided means for retarding this lateral movement of one sill head relative to the other, to a considerable extent, and yet permitting said movement when necessary when the cars are moving over irregular track or ground surface and when making curves. This retarding action tends to eliminate a certain harmonic lateral swinging movement of the cars, as it will readily be seen that if one of the sill heads moves laterally relative to the other, then the rider sill head must be elevated against the action of gravity which will tend to retard the said lateral movement, or, in other words, the rider sill head would have a tendency to naturally assume its lower position of movement centrally located above the carrier sill head.

If it is desired to couple two cars in the ordinary way, as illustrated in Figure 2, then each of the sill heads may be moved to its inner limit of movement by simply pulling the pin 41, sliding the sill head inwardly until the stop 54 engages the member 53, then placing the pin 41 in the other sleeve 48 near theinner end of the sill head spider, at which time the outer end of the sill head is moved to inoperative position beneath the coupler frame 9.

In order to be enabled to connect the forward end of the car to the rear end of an auto truck in the manner illustrated in Figure 1 I have provided on the under surface of the central portion of the outer end of the plate 44 a downwardly extending coupling pin 64 which is of the type designed. to make connection with the coupling element 65 odinarily carried by highway tractors of that type adapted to operate semi-trailer cars. In this case the coupler element 22 is simply permitted to rest in its normal position and forms no part of the coupling action. The sill head is operated in exactly the same manner as before described for coupling two cars equipped with carrier and rider sill heads.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a road and railway car, the combination of a pair of car frames, a carrier element supported by one end of one of said car frames, a telescopic sill head supported beneath the adjacent end of the other car frame, the outer end of said sill head being mounted to move from position adjacent to the corresponding end of said car frame to position extending beyond said end, or vice versa, and when so extended, to rest above said carrier element with the sill head in an upwardly and forwardly inclined position, means for pivoting said sill head at a point intermediate its ends to swing about an axis transversely of said frame, power operated means carried by said second frame connectedto the inner end of said sill head for actuating said sill head to lower its outer end, whereby the weight of the corresponding end of said second car frame will be transferred to said sill-head and carrier element as the sill head is moved from said inclined position to a horizontal position.

2. In a road and railway car, the' combination of a pair of adjacent frame members, each having a longitudinally extending sill head element extending beyond its end, one of said sill heads being supported upon 'the other to carry the weight of its corresponding frame member, 0011- plers connecting said frame members, anti-friction rollers carried by the upper surface of each of said sill members, the surfaces of each of said anti-friction rollers being conical, with the axis of the cone intersecting a line passing through the pivot center of said coupling elements, the under surfaces of the upper sill head being bevled to fit the upper conical surfaces of the rollers of the lower sill head as it is supported thereon,

whereby the weight of the car frame end carried by the upper sill head will be supported by the lower sill head, and whereby the said weight will tend to automatically center the sill heads against lateral movement relative to each other.

3. In a road and railway car, the combination of a car frame, a car coupler for one end of said frame, means for mounting the coupler on the frame to move vertically thereof whereby it may be operated at one of a number of elevated positions, and a sill head supported by said frame and beneath said coupler, having one end extending beyond the end of said frame, and adapted to perform the function of either a carrier or rider element.

4. In road and railway cars adapted to be connected into a train in articulation, the combination of a car frame, a second adjoining car frame, a carrier element supported by the end of the first car frame adjoining the second car frame, a sill head supported by the adjacent end of the second car frame, the outer end of said sill head being mounted to move from a position adjacent to the corresponding end of said second car frame, to position extending beyond said end, or vice versa, and when so extended, to rest above said carrier element with the sill head in an upwardly and forwardly inclined position, means carried by said second frame for pivoting said sill head to swing about a horizontal axis, and means carried by the second frame to actuate the sill head and lower its outer end, whereby the weight of the corresponding end of the second car frame will be transferred to said sill head and carrier element as the sill head is moved from said inclined position to a horizontal position.

5. In a road and railway car, the combination of a car frame, a sill head supported with one end beneath one end of said car frame and the other and extended beyond said end of said frame, means supported transversely of said frame for pivoting said Bill head thereto to permit it to swing from an upwardly and outwardly inclined position to a horizontal position, or vice versa, anti-friction load-bearing rollers carried by the outer end of said sill head for carrying the outer end of a sill head of an adjoining car when coupled in articulation, and means connected to the inner end of said sill head for imparting swinging movement thereto, for the purposes stated.

6. ma road and railway car adapted to be con nected into a train of cars in articulation, the combination of a car frame, a second adjoining car frame, a carrier element supported by the adjoining end of the first car frame, a sill head supported by the adjacent end-of'the second car frame, the outer end of said sill head being mounted at one end extending beyond the corresponding end of said second frame, to rest above said carrier element, means carried by the said end of the second frame for pivoting said sill head to swing about a horizontal axis, and power-actuated means carried by the second frame to actuate the sill head to lower its outer end into engagement with said carrier element to elevate the corresponding end of the second frame.

a 7. In a road and railway car, the combination of a car frame, a sill head slidably mounted at one end of said frame to permit its outer end to move into and out of operative position beyond the corresponding end of said frame and adapted to ride a standard carrier element of an auto tractor, means carried by the extending end of said sill head to connect said sill head with the standard coupler element of said auto tractor, and power-operated means carried by the car frame for swinging the sill head from an upwardly and forwardly inclined position to a substantially horizontal position, whereby the end of the car frame to which the sill head is attached may be elevated and carried by the sill head as the sill head is moved from its inclined position to its horizontal position.

8. In a road and railway car, the combination of a car frame, a sill head slidably mounted in one end of said frame to permit its outer end to move into and out of operative position beyond the corresponding end of said frame, and adapted to ride a standard carrier element of an auto tractor, and means carried by the outer end of said sill head for coupling the sill head with a coupler member carried by an auto tractor, power-operated means carried by said car frame for swinging the sill head from an upwardly and forwardly inclined position to a substantially horizontal position.

9. In a road and railway car, the combination of a car frame, a sill head siidabiy mounted in one end of said frame to permit its outer end to move into and out of operative position beyond the corresponding end of said frame, and adapted to ride a standard carrier element of an auto tractor, means carried by the outer end of said sill head for Qupling the sill head with a coupler member carried by an auto tractor, power-operated means carried by said car frame for swinging the sill head from an upwardly and forwardiy inclined position to a substantially horizontal position, means for locking the sill head in either of its forward or rearward positions of movement, and means for locking the outwardly projecting end of the sill head at its lower position of movement.

10. In a road and railway car adapted to operate in a train of articulated cars, the combination of a car frame, a standard car coupler for one end of said frame, means for mounting the coupler on the corresponding end of the frame -to move vertically thereof whereby it may be operated at any one of a number of elevated positions, a sill head supported by said frame and beneath said coupler to move forwardly and rearwardly of said frame with its outer end beyond said frame when extended, means carried by said car frame for pivoting said sill head to swing about horizontally arranged pivots, and poweroperated means carried by said car frame connected to the inner end of said sill head for swinging the sill head from an upwardly and forwardly inclined position to a horizontal position, for the purpose stated.

11. In a road and railway car, the combination of a car frame, a standard car coupler for one end of said frame, means for mounting the coupler element on the corresponding end of said frame to move vertically, whereby it may be operated at a number of elevated positions, means for elevating and lowering said coupler, a sill head carried by said end of said frame and beneath said coupler, means for mounting the sill head to slide forwardly and rearwardly of said frame with its outer end adapted to move from a position beneath the end of said frame to a position extending beyond the end of said frame,

and means for locking said sill head in its extended position, the outer end of said sill head being adapted to ride on the carrier means of an adjoining car frame when the cars are coupled in articulation.

12. In a road and railway car, the combination of a car frame, a standard car coupler for one end of said car frame, means for mounting the coupler element on the corresponding end of said frame to move vertically, whereby it may be operated at a number of elevated positions, means for elevating and lowering said coupler, a sill head carried by said end of said frame and beneath said coupler, means for mounting the sill head to slide forwardly and rearwardly of said.

frame, with its outer end from a position beneath the end of said frame to a position extending beyond the end of said frame, and means forlocking the sill head in one of a number of its forward and rearward positions of movement, the outer end of said sill head being adapted to ride on the carrier means of an adjoining car frame when the cars are coupled in articulation.

13. In a road and railway car, the combination of a car frame, a standard car coupler for one to slide forwardly and rearwardly of said frame, with its outer end from a position beneaththe end of said frame to a position extending beyond the end of said frame, and means for locking the sill head in one of a number of its forward and rearward positions of movement, the outer end of said sill head being adapted to ride on the carrier means of an adjoining car frame when the cars are coupled in articulation.

14. In a road and railway car, the combination of a car frame, a telescopic sill head having one end mounted to move forwardly and rearwardly of one end of said car frame, the said end of said sill head being mounted to move from position adjacent to the corresponding end of said frame to position extending beyond said end,

on frame, and power operated means carried by said car frame for imparting vertical movement to the outer end of said sill head, when supported on said carrier element to mount the first car frame in articulation.

,15. In a roadand railway car, the combination of a car frame, a sill head, means pivotally securing said sill head to one end of said car frame, at a point intermediate its ends, to swing about a horizontal axis, with one end of said sill head extending beyond the corresponding end of said car frame, means operatively connected to the inner end of saidsill head for swinging the sill head about its pivot, whereby the sill head may be operated as a lever to elevate a load carriedbytheinnerendofsaidsillheamsuchas the end of the car to which the sill head is attached when coupled in a train of cars in articulation.

GEORGE T. RONK. 

